


A Failure to Communicate

by Songbirdsara



Series: Communication [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Happy Birthday Victor Nikiforov, Idiots in Love, M/M, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:55:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21960979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Songbirdsara/pseuds/Songbirdsara
Summary: It's Victor Nikiforov's birthday and the skate fam has gathered to celebrate.To everyone's surprise, even aloof Seung-gil Lee accepted the invitation....Though he may have accepted for reasons nobody expects.
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Phichit Chulanont/Lee Seung Gil
Series: Communication [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1627672
Comments: 19
Kudos: 109
Collections: Yuri!!! on Ice Secret Skater 2019





	A Failure to Communicate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PeppyBismilk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeppyBismilk/gifts).



**December 10th, 2016**

“Why?”

Yuuri blinked, his mouth snapping shut mid-invitation at the blunt interruption. He paused, considering the man in front of him. Seung-gil had made it to the Final for the first time, placing a respectable fourth, but the other skater seemed characteristically unenthused at the Banquet, despite his success. Still, Yuuri had come over to this corner of the room with a mission and he was determined that he wouldn’t let Seung-gil stonewall him this time.

“You came last summer, for _Victor and Friends_.”

Seung-gil continued to stare at him, clearly not seeing the need to acknowledge Yuuri’s words. The silence stretched out between them for a long moment before Seung-gil turned to walk toward the buffet table. Frustrated, Yuuri trailed behind him as the Korean skater bypassed the platter of crudité and began piling his plate with charcuterie. 

“So?” Seung-gil finally asked before popping a piece of prosciutto into his mouth and chewing slowly. 

Yuuri forced himself not to sigh. “Victor invited you to be in his ice show…”

Seung-gil nodded. “Yes.”

“And you accepted.”

Seung-gil tilted his head, a tiny wrinkle of confusion bringing his thick brows together. Yuuri nearly cheered. Finally, a reaction! 

“Yes. Min-so thought it would be good for my reputation.”

Yuuri gave in to the urge to sigh. He supposed he should just consider himself lucky to have gotten at least one non-monosyllabic response. “Seung-gil. Victor _and friends_. He only invited skaters that he wanted to spend time with.”

Seung-gil stuffed another piece of prosciutto into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully for a long moment. “Who else?” he asked after swallowing. 

“Ah, you mean, who else is coming?” 

Seung-gil nodded once, one of his eyebrows arched in what Yuuri thought might actually be curiosity. 

“Oh, ah… Georgi, Yurio, Mila; you know, the Russian crew… plus the Nishigoris, the Crispinos, Emil, Christophe, Otabek, Phichit…”

“Okay.”

Yuuri snapped his mouth shut in surprise. “Okay? You’ll come?”

“Yes,” Seung-gil replied. 

Yuuri waited, hoping Seung-gil might elaborate. Finally, he shuffled awkwardly, glancing around for his fiancé/coach. “Okay, well, it was, ah, great seeing you. Just…just great. I’ll add you to the group chat so I can pass on the details. 

Seung-gil nodded in acknowledgment, his mouth full of salami. Yuuri turned to walk away with a feeling of relieved confusion. After only a few steps, he felt an arm over his shoulder and looked up to smile at Victor.

“Did I see you chatting with everyone’s favorite fashion disaster slash misanthrope?” Victor asked. “I congratulated him on his free skate earlier and I swear, he _almost_ smiled at me.” 

Yuuri laughed. “I think you like him more than you let on,” he pointed out, pausing to snag a pair of flutes from a passing server.

Victor took the glass Yuuri offered him, smiling in thanks. “I have a lot of respect for him. He’s not particularly musical, like you are. Nor is he one of those skaters gifted with natural abilities, like Yurio…”

“Like _you_ ,” Yuuri added, smirking slightly at his fiancé. 

“Shh, darling, I’m occasionally allowed to be modest. Besides, I’m not the one wearing the gold medal this time around,” Victor replied, hooking his finger around Yuuri’s medal. 

“Silver matches your hair,” Yuuri teased. 

Victor drew up in a show of mock affront. “It’s a very pale ash blond, _thank you very much_.” 

Yuuri rolled his eyes. “I think we’ve strayed from the topic a bit, Vitya.” 

Victor drained his flute, his broad forehead scrunching in thought. “What were we… Oh! Right! Seung-gil! Yes, I do like him. He’s an odd one, but we all are in our own ways, I suppose. Incredibly hard worker. Never seems to get distracted. Plus, he’s a handy one to have around if you want to do Korean barbecue…”

“Truly a useful commodity,” Yuuri said solemnly before smiling up at his partner. “Anyway, he said yes. Though he wanted to know who else would be there before committing.”

“Huh,” Victor said, peering over at the reticent South Korean skater. “I wonder if he’s trying to avoid someone in particular?”

Yuuri shook his head. “I think it’s the opposite. I think he wanted to know if there’d be anyone there he _wanted_ to spend time with. Besides you, of course,” he added hastily when he saw Victor begin to pout.

Victor’s gaze turned thoughtful. “Sara, do you think? She’s always had a soft spot for him.”

“Who does Sara have a soft spot for?” Mila suddenly demanded, draping her arms over the couple’s shoulders. 

“Milochka, darling, congrats again on medaling,” Victor said, beaming down at the Russian woman. 

“ _Da, da_ , a silver to match yours and all,” Mila teased as Victor’s bottom lip wobbled. “But you’re changing the subject! I want to know what you’re over here gossiping about!”

Yuuri laughed as he ducked out from beneath Mila’s arm and moved to snag another set of drinks. “Seung-gil,” he finally said in reply. “He agreed to come to Victor’s birthday party!”

“Right! The big 3-0!” Mila cheered.

Victor gasped, clutching at his heart dramatically. “Mila, I thought you loved me! I’m only turning 29!”

Mila’s bright giggle echoed through the ballroom. “Sorry, you make it too easy, Vitya!” she offered in apology. “But seriously, what does Seung-gil have to do with Sara?”

Yuuri shrugged. “She’s always had a soft spot for him, and he only agreed to come after I’d mentioned who else would be there, so I thought…”

Mila shook her head fervently. “Nope. There’s _definitely_ nothing going on between them,” she said adamantly. “Besides, his ISU profile _literally_ lists ‘women’ as one of his dislikes. I didn’t even know they’d let you put stuff like that on your profile!” 

Yuuri pursed his lips, stymied by the odd little mystery. “Ah, well, who knows. He’s coming. That’s the important part.”

**December 23** **rd,** **2016**

Yuuri was dragged out of sleep by a firm knock on the door. 

“Oi! Rise and shine, little brother!” Mari called out from the hallway. “Your guests’ll be here soon and I need help with breakfast!”

Yuuri groaned, blinking blearily at the alarm clock on the nightstand. 6:00 a.m. was an unholy hour to be awakened… Still…

“Be out in a minute, _nee-chan!_ ” he called out, hearing an answering huff from the other side of the door before footsteps echoed, leaving him alone in the quiet of his room.

Well, not _quite_ alone. Warm arms wrapped around his chest from behind, pulling a smile to his lips as he turned in the embrace. 

“Morning, _dorogoy_ ,” Victor murmured sleepily. Yuuri brushed the soft silvery strands away from Victor’s face, eager for the first glimpse of his fiancé’s blue eyes. Even now, more than a year after he’d slipped a ring onto Victor’s slender hand, Yuuri sometimes still felt as if he were dreaming. 

“Good morning, Vitya,” he said softly, leaning down to steal a kiss from his drowsy lover. As so often seemed to happen, the kiss shifted from chaste to something yearning and steamy, Victor’s leg wrapping around Yuuri’s hip as they nestled together in the cocoon of blankets. Reluctantly, Yuuri pulled away, chuckling at the little pout on Victor’s face.

“Sorry, sweetheart. Mari’s not above bursting in on us if we don’t make an appearance soon.”

“Nooooo,” Victor whined. “Come back here!”

Yuuri pulled further away, grinning broadly. “Later, love. Otabek, Yuri and Mila’ll be here soon, we need to get dressed.” He shifted out from Victor’s grasp, throwing his legs over the edge of the bed. Victor clung a little longer around Yuuri’s waist, then gave up with a sigh. 

“Is it too late to cancel the party? I want you to myself,” Victor said sulkily, even as he swung his own legs off the bed, hands already reaching for the pile of cloth he’d discarded the night before. Makka, roused by their chatter, flopped her head onto Victor’s knee and Victor readily acquiesced to her beseeching gaze, scratching softly at her fluffy curls. 

Yuuri stood, reaching for his jinbei and glasses before stooping down to kiss the top of his lover’s head. “I’m going to go down and help get breakfast ready. You know Yuri’ll be growling for food the second he gets here.”

Victor laughed ruefully. “Growth spurts are a pain. Even if he refuses to admit he’s dealing with one.”

Yuuri hummed thoughtfully as he slipped into his house shoes. “I feel bad for him. I know his boots were too tight at the Final, probably why he fell out of his quad salchow. Not that he’ll listen to anyone.”

Victor finally stood, stretching. “Mmmm. He’ll figure it out. He’s not even 17, plenty of time to rebuild. I’m going to walk Makka, I’ll see you in a bit?”

Yuuri couldn’t resist one last kiss before leaving Victor to his morning routine. As he made his way down the hall of the onsen’s family wing, he smiled at the familiar scents and sounds. He could hear his mother humming tunelessly as she worked in the laundry, his father’s laugh as he cleaned the dining area…he missed this when he wasn’t here, but he wouldn’t trade his life in St. Petersburg…with _Victor_ … for anything. 

He swung into the kitchen, nodding at his sister as he headed toward the Zojirushi, prepping a cup of tea to start his day.

“Took you long enough,” Mari said dryly as she fluffed the rice in the cooker. 

Yuuri shrugged, sipping at his tea too quickly, earning a burned mouth for his trouble.

“Idiot,” Mari said fondly as he frantically fanned his mouth. “Minako just called; Yuri, Otabek and Mila got to the train station just fine, she’s bringing them up here now.”

Yuuri nodded, feeling a little more alert as the caffeine began working its magic. “Phichit texted last night, he should be here early this afternoon.”

Mari began dishing the rice into little bowls. “And the rest of your friends?”

Yuuri went through a mental checklist. “Uh, Chris and Georgi’ll be here tonight, the Crispinos and Emil tomorrow morning and Seung-gil tomorrow afternoon. Yuuko’s coming with the triplets early on the day of the party to help decorate.”

Mari snorted. “Great, those terrors’ll keep everyone organized. I won’t have to do anything but sit back and let them run things.”

Yuuri set down his cup and helped load the rice onto a tray. “I just want Victor to have a nice birthday,” he said softly. “I don’t think he had many of those before…”

“Before he met you,” Mari said matter-of-factly. “You’re good for him, _otouto_. I know you think he hung the moon and all that, but I think he needed you in his life, too.”

Yuuri glanced up in surprise. “Ah…”

Mari waved her hand. “I’m not blind, Yuuri.” She softened a little. “Besides, he’s my family now, too. Or might as well be. He deserves a happy birthday.” Yuuri blinked as Mari shouldered the tray just as Minako’s boisterous greeting filtered through the onsen. “Two idiot brothers. Lucky me,” Mari chuckled as she made her way toward the dining room, leaving Yuuri floundering in her wake.  
  


***

“Ahhh, I wish you guys were here! I can’t believe you’re missing this!” Phichit’s phone screen was split between Leo and Guang Hong’s faces, the other skaters looking glum.

“My mama would actually murder me if I missed family Christmas, Peach!” Leo groaned. “I tried explaining to her that it was a skating thing. She shook a spatula at me. A _spatula_.”

“My mom just looked at me with sad eyes and started talking about how rarely she gets to see me, but that she understood if I had a better offer,” Guang Hong said with a sigh. “Moms know how to guilt trip.”

All three men groaned in agreement. 

“Phichit, how did _you_ get out of holidays with your family?” Guang Hong asked, his wide eyes curious. 

Phichit laughed. “Easy! We don’t _celebrate_ Christmas! Plus, my mom knows that December 25th is Victor Nikiforov’s birthday. Yuuri wasn’t the only one with posters growing up, you know!”

“Yuuri’s the only one _marrying_ his childhood crush though,” Leo pointed out reasonably.

“Hush your tongue, Iglesia,” Phichit scolded, feeling indignant. “Victor wasn’t my childhood crush!”

“Who has a crush on Victor?” Yuuri suddenly asked from behind Phichit’s shoulder. Phichit whirled, phone forgotten as he took in his best friend’s fierce expression. 

“Absolutely nobody. Victor’s all yours, buddy!” 

“Of course, I’m Yuuri’s!” 

Aaaaand speak of the devil. 

“Hi, Victor!” Phichit chirped, quickly moving on from the awkward moment. He pulled his phone back into position. “Leo and Guang Hong were just saying how much they wished they could make it!” He abandoned the phone to Victor’s grasping hands, giggling a little at how delighted the man looked to talk to his fellow skaters. 

“Hi, Leo! Hiiii~iiii, Guang Hong!”

The younger skaters waved back. “Hey man, happy early birthday,” Leo replied, Guang Hong nodding along enthusiastically. 

“Thank you! We’ll see you all at Four Continents!” Victor said, waving a little as he relinquished the phone to its owner. Phichit hastened to say farewell to his absent friends, then turned expectantly to where Victor had draped himself over Yuuri’s back on the couch. 

“Soooo, plans? Mari said we can’t have katsudon until the party, so what’s for dinner? I’m dying of the hunger,” Phichit said plaintively, earning a huff of laughter from Yuuri. 

“I happen to know that mom fed you not an hour ago,” Yuuri responded unsympathetically. “We’re waiting for Chris and Georgi to get here, their flights got in at almost the same time, so they shared a cab. You’ll live for another hour.”

“Your fiancé is a cruel, cruel man,” Phichit deadpanned in Victor’s direction. The Russian skater nodded solemnly, then laughed.

“I know! Last night we were in the onsen and he wouldn _mpppph…”_ Victor’s voice trailed off as Yuuri clapped a hand over his mouth, the Japanese skater’s ears blazing pink in embarrassment.

“Moving. On.” 

Phichit laughed at the stern expression on his best friend’s face, which melted away as Victor squirmed his way into an octopus-like embrace, melting Yuuri’s exasperated expression into one of unspeakable fondness. Phichit felt a twinge of jealousy as he watched. He was happy for Yuuri, really, he was…

It was just that sometimes he wanted that for himself. That comfort with another person, that familiarity.

“Oi, are those jackasses being gross or is it safe to come in?” Yuri Plisetsky shouted from the hallway, earning a peal of laughter from Mila. 

“Oh, definitely gross,” Phichit shouted back. “You should probably come stop them!” 

***

The thing was, Phichit found himself thinking later, you could almost understand how someone like Yuri Plisetsky would be annoyed by the way Yuuri and Victor interacted. Phichit was honorary Captain of the HMS Victuuri but still, there was something almost _too_ Hallmark about their love for each other. Sure, Yuuri had regaled him with tales of Victor’s cluelessness, of his occasional brusque callousness. Still, watching them curled up together despite the tiny stools of Minako Okukawa’s equally tiny bar, Phichit couldn’t help but feel that creeping curl of jealousy snaking its way through his gut once more. 

After Chris and Georgi had arrived, Victor had cheerfully led the whole crew through Hasetsu before taking over Kachu. Minako hadn’t seemed surprised, so Phichit supposed it’d probably been the plan all along. Yuuri had attempted to play host, but Victor had soon monopolized his attention. The group had stratified into chattering clusters; Yuri and Otabek, Mila and Georgi, Chris shamelessly flirting with a gleeful Minako…

Leaving Phichit alone to nurse his beer. 

Which was fine. ‘Cheerfully self-sufficient’ was what Celestino called him, and Phichit supposed it was true enough. Still. He hadn’t realized how easy it was to feel quite so alone in a crowded room. 

“Penny for your thoughts, _cher?_ ” 

Phichit grinned weakly at the tall blond who had settled onto the stool next to him. “You’d be overpaying, I’m afraid.”

“Ah, you sell yourself terribly short, darling!” Chris replied with a wink. “I’m terribly interested in whatever has Thailand’s sunshine skater looking so pensive.”

Phichit took a long swig from his drink, his eyes settling on Yuuri and Victor where they sat whispering together. “They’re good together,” he replied, not looking at Chris. “I’m glad. Yuuri’s better with Victor in his life.”

“They haven’t outgrown us, you know,” Chris said shrewdly. Phichit finally looked at him in surprise and Chris flashed a cheerful grin. “But they do tend to get a little, ah… _focused_ on each other at times, no?”

Phichit laughed. “That’s one way of putting it, I suppose!” 

Chris chuckled, tapping his glass against Phichit’s. “To fools in love.”

Phichit echoed the toast, downing his drink and signaling to Minako for another round. “Aren’t _you_ a fool in love?” Phichit asked Chris as he sipped at his fresh beer.

Chris grinned. “Ah. My dear Masumi, _oui_. I suppose I qualify. But as he is not here for the festivities, I shall join you in honorary singledom. Singleness? Ah, no matter.”

Phichit snorted. “I’m honored to be in your revered company,”

Chris pouted. “Why, Phichit Chulanont, are you _mocking_ me?” 

Their laughter caught Yuuri’s attention. “What are you two up to?” he called across the bar, Victor hooking his chin curiously over Yuuri’s shoulder.

“Oh, nothing you’d be interested in,” Phichit said loftily before dissolving into giggles with Chris again. Yuuri shook his head fondly, then turned back to his fiancé. 

“But seriously, darling,” Chris said, his tone more sober than before. “I’m surprised that I’ve never heard of you dating. Lack of interest or lack of opportunity?”

Phichit shrugged, waggling one hand side to side. “Bit of column A, bit of column B, I guess. Went on a few dates back in Detroit, but mostly I’m so busy… plus every time I think I’ve met someone, they aren’t remotely interested in what I do...” A tiny bit of a whine crept into his voice and Phichit winced, hoping Chris hadn’t noticed.

“Ah. You want what _they_ have,” Chris said wisely, one dark brow raised in inquiry.

Phichit snuck a glance in Yuuri and Victor’s direction. Yuuri had practically crawled into Victor’s lap, one hand on either side of Victor’s face as he talked earnestly about something Phichit couldn’t hear. Victor was practically glowing as he looked down at his fiancé, clearly oblivious to anyone else in the room.

“Maybe not quite so…” Phichit trailed off.

“Codependent?” Chris queried with a smirk. “They _are_ a bit much, _oui?”_

Phichit nodded. “A bit.”

_Still_ , he thought to himself, _maybe a little codependency would be nice…_

**December 24th, 2016**

Seung-gil allowed himself a tiny sigh as he stepped out of the cab, cracking his neck a bit to relieve the tension from the long ride from Fukuoka airport. Min-so hated that habit.

Min-so hated a lot of things.

She’d protested this trip, despite his logical explanations. Interacting with other skaters was beneficial to his skating. He’d made it to the Grand Prix this year, the only change to his routine had been the summer exhibition in Hasetsu, hence, the exhibition had clearly been the catalyst.

Min-so had pointed out that there would be no exhibition, so the benefit was minimal in the face of a disruption to his training routine.

He was an adult. The internet told him it was okay to seek out purely social interaction with his peers. It didn’t matter that he’d rarely felt the urge for social interaction before.

Apparently, he was seeking it now.

With or without Min-so’s approval.

A clamor of voices and barking met his ears and he turned, catching sight of said peers as a chattering group of skaters and dogs came into view. His fingers twitched as he found himself missing the presence of Jimin, his three-year-old husky. He wasn’t nervous. He just liked dogs. That’s all. Dogs were far superior to 99% of people.

The approaching crowd was dressed in an array of brightly colored jackets and Seung-gil was briefly reminded of one of his skate costumes. His everyday appearance by contrast…

He glanced down, taking in his monochromatic garb. Perhaps he should have brought the grey jacket instead of the black one, added a splash of color to his wardrobe.

Shaking his head at the odd desire to fit in, he offered a raised hand in response to the clamoring shouts of his name that reached his ears.

“You’re here!”

Phichit Chulanont. Thailand’s sweetheart. Excellent PCS, somewhat erratic jumps, A+ costuming. Deeply questionable taste in musical influences.

“Yes,” Seung-gil replied.

Phichit huffed at the short response but Seung-gil had simply been responding to what appeared to be a rhetorical question. He was, undeniably, _here_.

“I wasn’t sure you were really coming!” Phichit continued with a pout. Seung-gil forcibly ignored how attractive he found the expression. Chulanont _was_ attractive, that was just an objective fact. It didn’t _mean_ anything.

He also ignored the little hitch in his breathing at the realization that Chulanont was _happy_ to see _him_.

He did let himself wonder _why_ Chulanont seemed so excited. But just for a second.

“I told Katsuki I’d be here,” he replied, adjusting his grip on his heavy duffel bag as the rest of the skaters crowded around the pair. Katsuki and Nikiforov, of course. Plisetsky, Popovich and the red-headed woman from the Russian team. Giacometti. The insufferable Crispino twins, the woman grinning broadly at him. The tall, blond, too-smiley Czech skater that often hovered in their vicinity. Altin.

Nikiforov’s dog. Makkachin. Pure-bred standard poodle. 14 years of age. A very good dog, which went without saying, really.

All dogs were very good dogs.

Seung-gil nodded in greeting. “Is there somewhere I should put this?” he asked in Katsuki’s general direction. He was slightly surprised when Nikiforov bounced forward, taking the bag and depositing Makkachin’s leash into his still open hand.

“I know you two got along over the summer,” Nikiforov said lightly. Seung-gil supposed it passed for an explanation, though he was too busy scratching behind the poodle’s ear to give it much thought. Katsuki led the way into the onsen and Seung-gil followed on autopilot, one hand still buried in soft fur. Chulanont fell into step beside him and Seung-gil allowed himself to steal a glance out of the corner of his eye.

“I’m glad you’re here,” the Thai skater said conversationally.

“Why?” Seung-gil asked, confused when Chulanont’s countenance dropped.

“Oh. No reason, I guess. Just…ah, the more the merrier I guess?”

Seung-gil remained silent, deciding the comment didn’t require a response. After a moment, Chulanont nodded as if to himself, then hastened to catch up to Giacometti, throwing an arm around the tall Swiss skater as they walked.

He didn’t _really_ know Chulanont that well, so the strange swooping sensation in his stomach made little sense. He had no reason for jealousy.

So why did watching Phichit walk away make him feel like he’d just missed a podium?

***

“You’re staring again,” Chris chided gently.

The skaters had all gathered in the onsen. The male ones at least, though Chris rather suspected dear Sara and Mila were similarly attired on the women’s side. He also rather suspected they didn’t mind their privacy, since he knew for a fact that Mari and Minako were in the midst of a bottle of sake in the living room.

The dynamics in the onsen were always rather fascinating. Yuuri and Victor were, shockingly, utterly absorbed in each other and likely about two minutes away from sneaking off. Mickey bristled in one corner; arms crossed over his chest as he watched Emil chatter animatedly with Georgi. Not-so-little Yuri smiled brightly as he talked to Otabek, his expression as unguarded as Chris had ever seen it. Seung-gil seemed to be staring off into the distance and Phichit…

Phichit was most definitely staring at Seung-gil.

“I’m not staring,” Thailand’s sweetheart said grumpily. He turned long enough to glare in Chris’s direction before his gaze drifted back in the Korean skater’s direction. Chris chuckled.

“Oh, sweetheart. I’ll admit, he’s quite pretty. Not quite what I expected you to go for but to each their own, _oui?_ ”

Phichit’s head snapped back in Chris’s direction. “I’m not _going_ for anything, Christophe,” he huffed, flicking water at Chris’s face. “But gods,” he whined. “Did you _see_ those yoga pants he showed up in? I’m only human.”

Chris laughed, full-bodied this time. Everyone but Yuuri and Victor glanced curiously in their direction and Phichit slunk down in the water beside him.

“Shut _up_ ,” Phichit muttered.

Chris obliged for the sake of his suddenly bashful friend. After a moment, everyone returned to their respective conversations, though Chris noticed that Seung-gil was no longer gazing at _nothing_. Instead, dark eyes seemed to be narrowed in their direction.

“Don’t look now darling, but I think someone’s staring back.”

**December 2** **5th,** **2016**

**Morning**

Phichit yawned, then grinned up at Mari as she splashed coffee into his mug. Thank god for Yuuri’s sister. Nearly everyone else was politely drinking tea out of deference to their surroundings, but Mari shared his love of strong, hot bean juice. Last night had been relatively tame, but most of them had stayed up late chatting after Yuuri and Victor had finally snuck away. He’d been surprised when Seung-gil had joined the group, though the Korean skater had been characteristically quiet.

He was surprised again as Seung-gil took the seat on his other side without a word. Phichit glanced surreptitiously around. There were plenty of open seats at the other tables… He allowed himself a tiny thrill of excitement before tamping it down. He didn’t _like_ Seung-gil, not the way Chris had insinuated. But he’d been trying to get the other man to be his friend for _years_.

Was he finally making progress?

“Coffee,” Seung-gil grunted.

Phichit stared at him for a moment. Seung-gil looked back, his heavy brows furrowed in confusion.

“Please?” Seung-gil finally added, looking as if the politeness had cost him something precious. Phichit glanced at Mari, who shrugged, before handing over the carafe.

Seung-gil splashed coffee into his mug, downing it without sugar or cream before piling his plate with the last slices of bacon and ham from the platter, ignoring the rice and miso soup. Mari grinned sharply.

“Not much for traditional meals, are you?” she said with a snort. Seung-gil glanced at her, seeming to consider her words.

“Bacon and ham are traditional breakfast foods,” he pointed out in a flat voice.

Mari rolled her eyes but pushed herself to her feet. She returned a moment later, a fresh plate of bacon held out in offering. “Here. Victor won’t eat it, which means _Yuuri_ won’t eat it. Might as well not let it go to waste.”

Seung-gil took the offered plate, that confused little crinkle in his brow making Phichit’s heart do funny things. Was Seung-gil not used to people being _nice_ to him?

“Thank you,” Seung-gil said after a long moment. Mari waved a languid hand in his direction in response before wandering off in the direction of the kitchen, leaving Phichit and Seung-gil alone at the small table.

Seung-gil steadily worked his way through the pile of meat while Phichit watched in fascination.

Watched. He definitely wasn’t _staring_.

“What?” Seung-gil grunted, his mouth still half full.

Phichit blinked. “Oh. Um, I’m just…a little jealous. How do you stay so…” he glanced up and down Seung-gil’s form in query. To his utter shock, Seung-gil’s ivory cheeks suddenly flamed, though his stoic expression never shifted.

“I exercise,” Seung-gil replied.

_Well, duh,_ Phichit thought to himself. They were professional athletes. They _all_ exercised. But _most_ of them kept to diets that were a little more varied.

“You can run with me after breakfast,” Seung-gil continued, not looking in Phichit’s direction. “I can show you how I exercise.”

It was Phichit’s turn to flush. Surely Seung-gil hadn’t meant that to seem quite so insinuating. It wasn’t Seung-gil’s fault that Phichit’s thoughts had gone down an extremely inappropriate path…Phichit was just lonely and had been single for too long and…

Seung-gil was looking at him, one of those ridiculously perfect brows cocked as he waited. Right. He’d made an offer. Phichit should respond.

“Sure!” he squeaked, his voice breaking on the single syllable.

Seung-gil just nodded.

***

Phichit Chulanont ran in neon orange short-shorts and a cropped sweatshirt. Seung-gil could have gone his entire life without knowing that fact but it was inescapable now.

“It’s 15 degrees,” he pointed out very reasonably.

“Do you KNOW how cold Detroit is in December? It’s 15 degrees there, too. _Fahrenheit!_ ” Phichit said with a shivering little laugh. “Hasetsu has _nothing_ on a Midwest winter!”

“I don’t know what a Midwest winter is,” Seung-gil replied. “But it’s not nearly as warm here as it is in Bangkok.”

“If I was in Bangkok, I wouldn’t be wearing a shirt,” Phichit said with a laugh.

Seung-gil tried not to think about Phichit without a shirt. He’d gotten more than a few glimpses in the onsen last night. Contrary to what several blogs speculated; he _was_ very human.

Also, he was very gay.

At least in theory. He knew he didn’t care for women, but he’d never found reason enough to disrupt his career in order to explore such esoteric pursuits as _sexuality_.

Phichit’s stomach was definitely giving him pause at the moment, though.

Perhaps Min-so had been right. Socializing was a distraction.

**Early afternoon**

“Having a good morning?”

Phichit shot a withering glare in Chris’s direction. “10 kilometers. For _fun_. That was his _warm-up._ I am literally dying right now.”

“Ah. Is _that_ why you’re drowning yourself in the onsen right now?” Chris asked as he stepped down into the pool of steaming water with a sigh.

Phichit hunched until the water was up to his chin. “Why are _you_ here? I thought you went shopping with the angry kitten and the rest of the Russian crew?”

Chris shot him a faux disdainful glance. “Darling, you have clearly never been shopping with our dear Russian punk. Lunch is in an hour, by the by,” he added. Phichit nodded wearily. “Soooo…” Chris continued. “You went for a long run, worked up a bit of thirst…”

Phichit worked up enough energy for a glare. “You only _think_ you’re funny,” he groused.

Chris grinned broadly. “Oh, darling, I’m _hilarious_. Thailand’s sweetheart. The king of sunshine and sparkles. Crushing on Korea’s dark, brooding hero. It’s like one of those mangas Vitya’s so hooked on now.”

Phichit slapped his hand over Chris’s mouth. “Shut it. It’s not a crush, he’s just… have you _seen_ that ass? I’d have to be dead…” He yelped as Chris licked his hand, falling forward practically into Chris’s lap as he giggled. “Jackass, you’re so _gross…”_

A tiny cough interrupted him mid-sentence and he glanced over his shoulder, something swooping oddly in his stomach when he spied Seung-gil standing there, towel clutched awkwardly in front of his groin.

“Oh! Will you look at that!” Chris chirped gleefully. “It’s absolutely time for me to go do that thing!”

Phichit glared at his friend. “What _thing_?”

Chris beamed beatifically. “You know! That thing I absolutely am supposed to be doing with our dear Vitya and Yuuri!” With that, he heaved his way out of the water, hips sashaying as he snagged his towel and passed Seung-gil. “Behave, boys!” he called back over his shoulder.

Seung-gil seemed to waver before easing his way to the edge of the water, dropping the towel at the last minute before sinking in. He sat across from Phichit, neither speaking nor raising his gaze. Phichit found himself fidgeting, unsure of how to break the silence.

To his surprise, he didn’t have to.

“He has a boyfriend,” Seung-gil suddenly blurted.

Phichit blinked, nonplussed. “Huh?”

“Maybe he didn’t tell you. It’s on his Instagram. He has a boyfriend. You should know.” Seung-gil was scowling down at the water, the tips of his ears blazing.

“Seung-gil…are you…are you talking about Chris?”

Seung-gil looked up, briefly meeting Phichit’s eyes before nodding curtly. “Yes,” he replied, his gaze dropping back to the water. “He shouldn’t…you…he has a boyfriend,” he repeated. “So, he shouldn’t…you don’t deserve…”

“Seung-gil,” Phichit said gently. “I know about Masumi. Chris and I are friends, that’s all.”

Seung-gil’s head snapped up, his dark eyes flashing. “Oh. That’s…” he swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing as the flush spread from his ears and down his cheeks and neck. “That’s good.”

**Late Afternoon**

Yuuri, to his great surprise, had discovered over the last two years that he had a reputation for being intense to the point of being seen as cold and somewhat aloof. _Intimidating,_ he’d been called in one interview. _Victor_ had learned the truth long ago. Yuuri Katsuki noticed and felt _everything._ He wasn’t aloof, far from it. Case in point, right now he was intensely watching Phichit interacting with Seung-gil Lee, liquid amber eyes narrowed in a way others might see as unnerving, but Victor knew was merely speculative.

“ _Solnyshko?_ ” he prompted, startling Yuuri out of his fierce contemplation. “Darling, what’s going through that beautiful head of yours?”

Yuuri smiled briefly at his fiancée, then went back to his watchful pose. “Phichit. He’s…I think he’s _flirting_.”

Victor cocked his head, turning slightly to take in the scene. “ _Is_ he? With Seung-gil?” He tapped a finger against his lips, thinking. “Does Seung-gil even like men?”

A sudden chuckle drew their attention as Chris settled on the floor beside them. “Seung-gil certainly doesn’t like women,” he said with a grin. “You two were a little, ah, _busy_ that night, but our dear cryptid proved _that_ over the summer.”

Yuuri frowned slightly. “What night? I don’t remember anything…”

Chris’s hazel eyes sparkled. “One word. _Chihoko_.”

Victor dropped his head into his hands. “God, noooo, Chris, I thought we all swore never to bring that up…”

Chris grinned, looking far too pleased with himself. “No, darling, _you_ swore to never talk about that night. I, however, reserve the right to bring it up when the occasion presents itself.”

“I presumed you have a point?” Victor asked with a sigh, taking solace in the way Yuuri had curled comfortingly around his side.

Chris’s Cheshire grin widened. “Well, dear Seung-gil is an, ah… _amorous_ drunk. As your Mr. Nishigori discovered.”

Yuuri blanched. “Wait, _what_? Seung-gil hit on _Takeshi?_ Does Yuuko know? She’s _scary_ if she thinks someone’s after Takeshi…”

“It was a bit more than flirting, _mon cher_. Though I do seem to recall our Phichit trying to stop him.”

It was Yuuri’s turn to drop his head into his hands. “Oh god, oh no. Yuuko’s bringing the girls over later. We have to hide Seung-gil from her…”

Victor sat up suddenly. “Get him to run an errand. With _Phichit_.”

Chris rubbed his chin. “Not a terrible idea.”

“What?” Yuuri spluttered, “Why would they…”

Chris dropped his hand on top of Yuuri’s head, steering it back in the direction of the skaters in question. “Look at them. Phichit’s definitely flirting. And Seung-gil doesn’t precisely seem to _mind_ …”

Yuuri grimaced. “How can you _tell?_ He looks the same as always…”

Victor suddenly laughed. “But he’s still sitting there. Have you ever seen Seung-gil sit with _anyone_ that long if there wasn’t food in front of him?”

“Huh.”

***

Seung-gil was sitting stiffly in the cab, eyes glued to the sheet of paper Yuuri had passed off to them. Errands. He was running _errands_ for Katsuki. Well, technically for _Nikiforov_ , since it was _his_ birthday. He still wasn’t sure why he’d agreed, except that Chulanont had grabbed his hand in a strange display of enthusiastic agreement and suddenly he’d found himself out the door.

Chulanont’s hand rested on the seat between them and Seung-gil felt a strange urge to grab it again. He’d… _enjoyed_ holding it. Something burned in his chest as he thought about it.

…Probably overdid it on the bacon that morning.

As if he sensed the direction of Seung-gil’s thoughts, Phichit looked over at him, eyes wide and bright in the late afternoon sun. “Looks like we can get most of this stuff at the market. It’s pretty basic, I’m surprised the Katsukis don’t already have all of this! I mean, paper towels? Who doesn’t have paper towels?”

Seung-gil shrugged, not seeing any reason for a verbal response. Phichit didn’t seem to need one, though, chattering on as if they were having a conversation. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think Yuuri just wanted us out of the way for some reason. I was really looking forward to a planning session with the triplets, too!”

“You can go back,” Seung-gil said reluctantly. He realized he didn’t _want_ Phichit to go back to the inn. He didn’t _want_ to run errands for Katsuki, but he wanted even less to run them without Phichit.

Alone. He meant he didn’t want to run errands _alone_ …

Right?

Phichit beamed at him as the cab slid to a halt. “No way, Jose!”

Seung-gil blinked. Jose…that was a name, why was…

“We’re sticking together! C’mon! We’ll make it fun!”

Errands were not _fun_ , Seung-gil refrained from pointing out as he slid out of the cab. He wondered if anybody had ever bothered to inform Phichit Chulanont of this fact. 

***

Phichit was having a blast. He wasn’t sure what odd impulse had fired in Yuuri’s brain to make his best friend send him off on an errand with _Seung-gil_ of all people, but he certainly wasn’t complaining. Seung-gil was an enigma that Phichit was determined to crack.

A very pretty enigma.

A very pretty enigma with the most ridiculous eyelashes.

Also, those ever-present yoga pants did nothing to hide that pert ass.

And those stupid eyebrows.

Phichit was starting to think he had an eyebrow kink. Which was slightly disturbing to contemplate, because how even did _that_ work?

Regardless, he really didn’t mind because he was enjoying this silly errand run. Spending time with Seung-gil was oddly satisfying and…

Oh.

Oh, fuck.

Phichit halted in the middle of the sidewalk, stunned into stillness.

Chris was _right_. He had a crush. On Seung-gil Lee, a man who, sans alcohol, he’d never seen given any form of affection to another human being.

This was some sort of cosmic joke, surely. Of all people, he’d fall for the one person least likely to return his affections.

His groan was satisfying dramatic and Phichit rather thought it was uncannily similar to a death rattle. At the very least, it drew Seung-gil’s attention away from the store front the man had been contemplating.

“You sound ill,” Seung-gil said flatly. “Should we seek medical assistance?”

Phichit glanced around the shopping area for a long moment. Maybe Seung-gil could only open up under specific circumstances. If Phichit wanted to really get to know him… “No,” he said firmly. We should seek _sake_.”

“Is that on Katsuki’s list?”

“Nope,” Phichit replied blithely, popping the ‘p’ sound with gusto. “But it _should_ be.”

***

Yuri prided himself on being a pretty fucking excellent judge of character. It was part of the reason why Otabek was the only friend he had.

(The Old Man, Katsudon and Baba didn’t count. They’d basically bullied him into friendship, he’d had no choice.)

(Okay, maybe Katsudon had more just… _existed_ in Yuri’s general direction until he’d taken pity on the Japanese Ace.)

Whatever. The point was that Yuri had this whole people thing pretty much figured out. So, when Chulanont and Lee came back from running errands, he paid attention. Not because he’d gotten invested in Victor’s stupid matchmaking idea, but because Chulanont looked like somebody had kicked his favorite hamster. The Thai skater usually looked like the literal embodiment of a fucking ray of sunshine, so the change was definitely noticeable.

Lee looked…exactly the same as always. So that wasn’t any help.

Yuri had watched the strangely punk rock Sherlock Holmes movies after Otabek suggested them. The ones with the American actor that was in the superhero movies. They were pretty cool, and _Yuri_ was definitely cool, so he figured he could probably make a half decent detective. This seemed like a perfectly fine time to find out.

All he had to do was be subtle.

Be cool.

“Oi, what the fuck is up with you?” he called out as Chulanont slunk up the stairs towards the skaters’ bedrooms.

To his immense surprise, he received no response.

“ _Tch_. Rude,” he scoffed. Then he ducked as Mila aimed a swat at his head.

“Be nice, Yurotchka. It’s Vitya’s birthday, he’ll be upset if you scare off his guests. 

“I’m expressing _concern_ , Baba, you wouldn’t understand,” he replied loftily. Mila snorted in response.

“God save me from his concern, then,” she muttered in an aside to Sara Crispino, both girls giggling as they wandered out of the room, leaving Yuri alone with Seung-gil Lee.

Seung-gil was quiet, always seemed fixated on his skating to the exclusion of literally anything else. Yuri could get behind that sort of focus.

“What’s up with the hamster freak?” he called out, but Seung-gil had settled onto a chair, seemingly staring off into space. Weird dude.

“Oi! Lee!”

Seung-gil turned, one brow raised slightly in query. “Yes?” the Korean skater replied tonelessly.

“Chulanont,” Yuri reiterated. “What’s crawled up his ass?”

To his immense confusion, Seung-gil blushed slightly. Weird dude. The weirdest.

“He wanted to drink. I declined. I think…” Seung-gil hesitated, looking slightly confused. “I think he is upset. With me. But…” He shifted his gaze, staring up the staircase where Chulanont had disappeared. Yuri waited. Patience was an integral aspect of detective work.

He coughed, making sure Lee knew how fucking patient he was being.

There was an odd quality to Lee’s voice when he finally responded. “He’s upset with me. But I don’t know _why_.”

**Early Evening**

The birthday songs (in multiple languages) had been sung, katsudon had been consumed by all, a trio of sugar-filled 8-year-olds had crashed on various sections of the floor and the partygoers had begun to drift into knots of quiet conversation.

Well, most of them were conversing. It was probably best not to ask what exactly was going on in the darkened corner where the birthday boy had disappeared with his blushing fiancé.

“Champagne, _mon petit chou_?”

Phichit turned his head from the spot where he was steadfastly holding up a section of the wall. “Might as well,” he said with a shrug, plucking the flute from Chris’s hand.

“Odd.” Chris hummed thoughtfully. “You’re usually our social darling. Even Seung-gil is more social than you tonight.” He jutted his chin in the direction of the opposite corner, where Seung-gil was sitting on the arm of a sofa, appearing to watch some sort of arm-wrestling match being organized by Mila Babicheva. “I mean, he isn’t actually _talking_ , but he’s at least mingling.”

Phichit’s eyes lingered on Seung-gil even as he took a long sip of the champagne. “He’s cute, right? I’m not suddenly crazy, right?”

Christophe glanced at him. “Seung-gil? Objectively gorgeous. Not that there are many unattractive skaters, of course.”

Phichit sighed. “But he’s _really_ pretty. And I know he likes men. Just…” He slumped, throwing back the rest of the champagne in one long swallow.

“Just?” Christophe repeated, his gaze speculative.

“Apparently he’s into big burly _straight_ men.”

“Ah. You’re jealous. You _do_ like him.”

Phichit threw his friend a withering glance, snagging the bottle of champagne off of the nearby table and topping off his glass. “No. I’m sitting here mooning over him like a _moron_ because I’m _not_ interested.”

Chris blinked in surprise at the self-deprecating vitriol in the normally cheerful man’s voice. “Peaches, have you even tried to talk to him about this? Or are you just standing here making assumptions?”

“I try to chat with him! I tried getting him drunk so he’d open up! He barely _talks_ ! Am I supposed to just… _tell_ him I think he’s a hottie and I want to have crazy make-out sessions with him at competitions and introduce him to my hamsters and…”

Chris laughed. “Well, maybe not _quite_ that, but have you tried speaking to him in _his_ language?”

It was Phichit’s turn to blink. “Um, I don’t know Korean…”

Chris shook his head with a fond chuckle. “Oh, darling. No, no. Seung-gil’s first language is _logic_. His second language is skating. Take it from there. Because I think you have more of a chance than you think.” He nodded back in Seung-gil’s direction.

Phichit swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. Seung-gil was looking back at them, his steel grey eyes strangely intense. He raised his hand, waggling his fingers in a little wave and Seung-gil nodded, still staring.

Christophe nudged him. “Now might be a good time, sweetheart. I’ll make sure this wall doesn’t fall down in your absence.” He winked outrageously when Phichit stuck out his tongue.

***

“I’ve figured it out!” Yuri announced proudly when Mila and Sara wandered away from the seating area that had become a _de facto_ arm-wrestling arena. Seung-gil shifted slightly, looking up from his plate long enough to flash a look that Yuri chose to interpret as curiosity.

It wasn’t an actual response, but Yuri would take it.

“You like Chulanont but you don’t know how to tell him!” he announced triumphantly.

Beside him, Otabek choked slightly on his drink. “Yura, you can’t just…”

“Yes,” Seung-gil interrupted matter-of-factly.

Yuri stared openly, feeling a twinge of disappointment. He’d been pretty fucking convinced of his statement, but Seung-gil hadn’t even let him explain his deduction.

“You should buy him a hamster!” he blurted out, skipping straight to the end of what was supposed to be a long and detailed list of seduction techniques that he’d spent a whole 30 minutes researching.

Apparently, a total fucking waste of time.

At least Seung-gil looked like he was actually considering the carefully thought out suggestion.

“Yura, he can’t just buy a pet for someone who lives in another country,” Otabek pointed out, far too reasonably.

“Why?” Yuri asked. “If someone bought me a kitten, I’d probably make out with them.”

He’d turned away to gauge how Seung-gil reacted, and therefore missed the speculative look that crossed Otabek’s face.

“Thank you for the suggestion,” Seung-gil said formally, standing up as he spoke.

“Wait, are you like, going hamster shopping right _now_?” Yuri blurted. “Because I don’t think there’s any pet shops open on Christmas, even in Japan.

Seung-gil shook his head. “No. I’m going to talk to him.”

Yuri glanced in the direction Seung-gil was looking, finally noticing that Phichit had left his spot next to Giacometti and had moved in their direction.

“Oh. Well, fucking good. Go do your thing, we’ll just be…”

“Talking about kittens,” Otabek supplied.

Yuri grinned at his friend’s quick thinking. “Yeah, that. Kittens.”

***

Phichit was beginning to regret the champagne he’d chugged, the familiar fuzziness of a buzz hazing the edges of his thoughts. Seung-gil was suddenly standing right there in front of him and the careful plans he’d been making for the last few minutes had flown completely out of his head.

“Hi, you,” he said intelligently.

Crap. No. That wasn’t what he’d meant to say…logic. He was supposed to be logical. And talk about skating. Right?

“I think you could increase your PCS if…”

“I think you’re hot.”

Phichit stopped mid-sentence, blinking in confusion. Had Seung-gil just…?

“Huh?”

“Your shorts this morning were very attractive. On you, I mean. I was distracted on our run.”

Phichit had very clearly had more to drink than he’d thought. Or maybe he’d tripped and hit his head.

“What?” he asked, still trying to figure out what, exactly, was happening.

“I would like to date you,” Seung-gil said matter-of-factly.

Phichit stared in stunned confusion. “But…you…I tried to go drinking with you! You wouldn’t drink! I thought… I thought that meant you didn’t like me!”

Seung-gil cocked his head. “Why would me drinking with you matter?”

“Be-because I’ve only ever seen you affectionate when you’re drunk!” Phichit spluttered. “I thought…” Phichit trailed off, suddenly feeling a burst of shame at his thought process.

Seung-gil nodded. “Ah. You also like me and were attempting to find a way to communicate. I understand.”

Phichit gaped, feeling very wrong-footed. “You…you do?”

Seung-gil nodded again. “Yes. I'm unsure what alcohol was meant to achieve but I also struggled to determine how to inform you of my affections.”

“Oh,” Phichit said weakly. “But…but…over the summer…you…Takeshi…”

“Ah. Yes. I was drunk and I made poor decisions,” Seung-gil replied, suddenly blushing.

Phichit giggled in delight. “ _Please_ tell me why you made out with Takeshi.

Seung-gil’s pale face was now aflame. “I didn’t…I thought I could…that you would notice if…”

Phichit grinned. “Oh my god, were you trying to get my attention?”

Seung-gil whined under his breath. “Yes. It was foolish.” He hung his head for a moment, then glanced back up at Phichit, a tiny smile quirking his lips as he peered up through his thick lashes. “Did it work?”

Phichit practically melted. This ridiculous boy…

He reached out, brushing the shaggy black hair out of Seung-gil’s eyes. “Hey, you,” he murmured softly. “Wanna ditch this party and go make out in the onsen?”

Seung-gil’s smile widened. “Yes, please.”

***

Yuuri glanced up in time to see Phichit leading Seung-gil out of the living room by the hand. He nudged Victor, drawing his fiancee’s attention in time to see the pair disappear. Victor beamed.

“Ha! Happy birthday to me! Best matchmaker ever!”

Yuuri rolled his eyes, then drew Victor in for a gentle kiss. “Yes, darling. But I think we might want to skip the onsen tonight.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This is my contribution for the YOI 2019 Secret Skater Exchange, where I drew PeppyBismilk. As many of you probably know, Pep is one of my closest fandom friends and my regular beta reader, so there was some serious subterfuge involved in keeping this an actual secret! 
> 
> Pep's a big SeungChuchu fan, so I had to give her something for her favorite pairing and I wanted to center it around a Christmas/VicMas gathering!
> 
> I hope you enjoy it, Pep! (And everyone else, too!)
> 
> Oh...and I guess this is my longest ever one shot, sooooo... fun!


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